1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for managing information, and, in particular, to methods and systems for providing an enhanced knowledge management system that integrates existing data with knowledge acquired through a knowledge management portal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Traditionally, knowledge pertaining to a specific environment or community is captured within a computer system environment and disseminated to persons seeking that knowledge using a variety of methods. Such knowledge typically occurs in two ways: explicit knowledge, which is knowledge that is documented in some way, and implicit or tacit knowledge, which is “knowledge in hiding,” such as information that someone knows but hasn't yet shared. Existing knowledge management systems have focused on storing and disseminating explicit, or documented, knowledge. For example, a classic method for such knowledge capture and dissemination are documentation systems that allow the creation, storage, and display of documentation. For example, there are many computer-aided-information (CAI) systems that allow users to document existing applications, or manufacturing procedures, within a company (or other community). These systems typically gather the data and store it ahead of its use by new users to obtain information.
As another example, expert systems have focused on documenting knowledge by programming responses into a computer system that are variable based upon the sequence of questions received by a user. The responses (the knowledge), however, are preprogrammed into the system—therefore, before the system is used, the knowledge is documented. Also, such systems are typically limited to information within a specific (albeit sometimes large) subject area, such as a medical expert system. There is no method, therefore, in these systems to capture new knowledge that is potentially unrelated to prior documented knowledge.